Amaryllis
by mmelbear
Summary: The sequel to The Beautiful Letdown. This is what happened after the fateful fight on the mountaintop. Harry can't remember who is, Dumbledore is gone. As Harry tries to remember his past, he ends up learning a lot more than he expected.
1. The Beginning

Dislcaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter stuff, not the characters nor anything. Christine (you'll find out who she is) is mine however. Basically if you've read it in the books, I don't own it.

**Amaryllis: **Any of several chiefly tropical American bulbous plants of the genus _Hippeastrum_ grown as ornamentals for their large, showy, funnel-shaped, variously colored flowers that are grouped in umbels. See belladonna lily. Any of several similar or related plants.

Used in classical pastoral poetry as a conventional name for a shepherdess.

**Chapter 1: The Beginning **

"Yes I can do it." Harry whispered to himself. A third man came walking out of the castle. He hurried over to the four men and looked from Harry to Tom and back to Harry again. He had that same cruel smile on his face. Harry did not notice it however. He was staring into Tom's snake-like eyes. Even though his body was filled with fear he could feel the adrenaline flowing through his veins.

"On my mark." The newcomer said. "One." Harry took a deep breath, the incantation was already on the tip of his tongue. "Two." Sweat started to come from his brow. The final moment was near. Time had never felt so slow. Knowing it could all be over in a flash of green light Harry gathered his courage and gripped his wand tighter.

"Three!" There was a flash of green light and then all was dark. Harry could feel his face down on the cold snow not knowing what happened to him. He could feel blood trickling down his forehead. He opened his eyes and got up slowly. He looked over at where Voldemort was and he couldn't believe his eyes. Could he possibly be dead? His supporters went over to him and checked to see if he was dead.

"Run Harry." Professor Dumbledore said and the three men started to chase after them. They ran further up into the mountain. Professor Dumbledore sent a stunning spell in their direction but only managed to hit one of the followers. Harry and Professor Dumbledore continued to run further up into the mountain. Harry's strength began to falter and so they stopped.

"Harry you must keep going. I'll try to stop them." Harry continued to walk on for he was too tired to run any more. He heard the men catch up to Professor Dumbledore and could hear their shouts in the background. The blood was pulsing in his ears and he could no longer hear anything. He was too tired. The scenery around him was growing darker and he fell face first into the soft snow.

Hermione and Ginny was still running down the mountain with Ginny. Professor McGonagall had taken Cho off the hill and they too made their way down the mountain. The Professor and Cho were running fast and slowly catching up with Hermione and Ginny. Professor McGonagall was disappointed not to see Ron or Neville with them but she had speculated that could happen.

Hermione did heard someone following her as she ran down the mountain with Ginny. For she thought that someone was after her and kept running. She told Ginny to move faster too. The footsteps behind them only increased their pace and it sounded as if there was more than one person following the two girls. Soon Hermione heard a shrill voice call out to here.

"Miss Granger do slow down please." Hermione stopped to see Professor McGonagall and Cho Chang behind them. She sighed with relief and moved her glance up near the castle. She could see several small figures outside in the snow but could not see who they were. As Hermione continued to stare at them the other girls began to look in that direction as well.

"Who do you think is up there?" Cho asked breaking the silence. No one spoke for they all knew the answer in their heart but were unwilling to admit it. They stared at them for a long time.

"Can you tell what is happening professor?" Ginny said. Everyone turned to look at her, never asking before if she was alright. The professor shrugged at turned her eyes back to the large castle. Hermione, who could look no more, turned to look at one of the neighboring snow-capped mountains. She was amazed by the beauty of this place and how someone so evil can reside in a place so serene.

Then Hermione was distracted by a blinding green light. Professor McGonagall gasped and the three young girls all closed their eyes. "RUN!" The Professor shouted at the three girls. They all opened their eyes and started running with all their energy down the mountain. None of them saw what happened. None of them knew. Things might have been different if they had seen it all.

It was a day later when Harry woke up again. The sky was overcast and his face and hair was covered with snow. He did not realize how cold it was until he stood up. The wind was blowing in his face. He could not find professor Dumbledore anywhere. His stomach was growling and he was growing extremely thirsty. He took some of the clean snow and put it in his mouth. It was cool and refreshing.

Harry continued to walk away from the castle. He was walking further and further up into the mountain. He had no clue as to where he was going but he was still following Professor Dumbledore's lead. He had to keep going. He had to move on. If only his professor would join him, it would make the journey easier.

Ron and Neville were taken up toward the castle after being captured by the villagers. They were blindfolded and handcuffed but neither had the strength to try to escape. They did not resist being dragged up the snowy hills toward who knows what. After several minutes of waiting they were thrown into another room.

"Ron?" Neville asked, not sure if Ron had his memory back yet or if he lost it once more. There was a long silence but Neville refused to accept the worst. He thought that Ron was just unconscious but his mind was leading him to other thoughts. He kept shaking his head as if to rid his brain of thoughts that Ron could be dead. Then he heard a distinctive moan coming from nearby.

"Neville? Hermione? Gin?" Ron whispered into the black air.

"Ron, you ok?" Ron just moaned. "Do you know what is going to happen to us?" Neville asked him, his voice quivering. Ron moaned again. Neville tried to sit up but he was too weak and fell to the ground. There was someone muttering in the corner and a bright light came in his direction. He then fell into a deep sleep.

Harry walked the rest of the day but still found no sign of any kind of life. He was reaching the edge of the mountain slowly but surely. He kept sucking on the clean powdery snow to keep him from getting dehydrated. The wind started to pick up and snow started to blow into his face. He reached a cliff point and looked down. There was a small village there. He couldn't see if there were people down there, his eyesight was too poor. Harry looked over the edge of cliff and stumbled down towards the village.

Hermione, Ginny, Cho, and Professor McGonagall reached the Hogwarts castle in a three days journey. The students were placed in the hospital wing and told not to be disturbed. All the students had gone home for the summer. None of them even thinking about what those brave students faced up at the mountain top. Professor McGonagall stayed for the rest of the day before she would venture to the mountain again to see if she could rescue Ron, Neville, and Luna. She feared the worst though.

"Do you think he did it?" Hagrid asked her as she sat in her office sipping tea. She looked down at her desk and a small tear fell down her bruised cheek. There was a long moment of silence before she looked up at Hagrid and spoke.

"I don't know." Her voice was shaky. "All I saw was a bright green light."

"You can't go back up there, especially if…" Hagrid was cut off by Professor McGonagall's hand.

"I don't want to think about it. I have to do my job."

"Be careful Minerva." And in a flash she was gone. Hagrid stood in her office alone. A bulky tear came down his cheek as he made his way to the hospital wing to check on Hermione, Ginny, and Cho. He hoped that Harry had made it. But he had his doubts. He would know in due time.

Harry reached the village by nightfall. He was tired and fatigued. His legs felt as if they were going to fall off. He fell onto the snow near the edge of the village. He lied there for a while before someone came to pick him up. It was an old woman. She saw the poor boy and felt sorry for him.

"Henry, come out here. There is a boy lying in the snow. Come see if you can help him." An old man came slowly out of the house with a lantern to see what was going on. He walked over to the young blacked haired boy and carried him into the house. They were amazed that he was alive. They fed him some food and gave him a change of clothes. After eating Harry went straight to bed.

"So where do you think he came from?" Henry asked his wife.

"I don't know. He was just lying there when I went to go check on Timothy. You want to know the strangest thing about him though?"

"What is it Eliza?"

"That lightening shaped scar on his forehead. Have you ever seen anything so peculiar?"

"Nope. Let's go to bed Eliza and we'll talk about it more in the morning." The couple turned off the light and headed off to bed.

Professor McGonagall walked along the empty mountainside. But she was too late. The village was completely deserted and scorched to the ground. Apparently Professor Snape had accomplished his job. As she looked over to the edge of the castle it too seemed deserted. She walked slowly up to the castle to find that no one was there. The snow was powdery white. She began melting some of it to see if anyone was there.

She found two servants of Tom, both dead. She also found bits of Luna's cloak but there was no sign of the girl. She looked around but saw no sign of Professor Dumbledore, Harry, or Tom. Her mind was filled with a maelstrom of questions but she kept looking.

She went towards the large castle. It looked even more deserted than before. Every room was empty. She made her way to one of the towers on the north end. To her surprise she found two boys, blindfolded and handcuffed. She ran over to them and was amazed to find them both alive. She quickly levitated them out of the castle.

As she turned to leave she did find one more dead. Her heart almost skipped a beat when she saw. She was at a loss for words and her breath was short. It was the body of an old enemy never to administrate terror upon mankind again. Tom Marvolo Riddle, Lord Voldemort was dead.


	2. A Long Time Gone

Dislcaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter stuff, not the characters nor anything. Christine (you'll find out who she is) is mine however. Basically if you've read it in the books, I don't own it.

**Chapter Two: A Long Time Gone**

Several months had gone by and there was no sign of Harry Potter or Albus Dumbledore. Harry was safe in the village of Sparta hidden in the mountains. He remained in the home of Henry and Eliza Burden. His memory was gone so he came to understand that he was their son. He took the name of Damien. He lived there for several months but soon wanted to travel the world. After a while he packed his things and went away.

Professor McGonagall had found out about the village of Sparta and went to see if Harry or Albus had resided there. But when she arrived she was too late. The couple said that the boy with the black hair and the lighting bolt scar was long since gone. He never said where he was going, perhaps to find his past. And so it was yet another dead end.

Minerva McGonagall assumed position of Headmistress until he returned. For the first few months everyone seemed to be hopeful. But as time continued their hope seemed to diminish. Everyone believed the two heroes to be dead. Hermione and Ron were taking it really hard.

Harry looked everywhere his feet took him for any sign of the past. He traveled light, picking up a few jobs as he went along. He lived as a Muggle, not knowing of his true heritage. He decided that there must be nothing left for him here in England. So he purchased a ticked on a boat to America.

It was a fishing boat, small and smelly. But it was all he could afford. He worked as a hand in order to pay off part of his ticket. Harry looked nothing the same. He was growing a goatee and his hair was becoming even shaggier. He looked like he was a fisherman. He thought it made him look older, but his green eyes seemed to always give away his youth.

One night a storm approached them. It was a bad storm. The waves were crashing on top of the boat. Everyone was called out to help. Harry, who knew little about the sea or how to function on boat was commanded to stay out of the way. He remained down below on his bunk trying not to puke. He ventured up top for he was growing heavily sick.

And that is when disaster struck. A bolt of lightening struck the mast and broke it in two. Half fell into the ocean. Then a large dark wave came onto the boat and Harry was washed overboard. He managed to catch a piece of floating debris from the mast that had fallen into the ocean. He was bleeding and fading in and out of consciousness. The storm remained strong for the next couple of hours. Harry thought for sure he was going to die.

Ron's memory returned, partially. He remembered very little of the events right after confessing his heart to Hermione. In his mind, he still had not said anything to her and believed that Hermione liked Harry. The two resumed school. They were now in their seventh year at Hogwarts. But things seemed so different without Harry there. Ron was now worrying about his studying and his life after school.

The weeks before the Christmas holidays were not a happy time for the Weasleys and the Granger girl. Harry just seemed to be always on their mind. They even decided to stay at school for the holidays instead of going home. Hermione could usually be found studying in her dorm but Ron avoided the Gryffindor Tower at all costs. Ginny was everywhere, she could never seem to sit still.

"Hermione…" Ginny said one walking into the girl's dormitory.

"Can this wait Ginny, I am finishing an essay for potions."

"Actually no." Hermione put her book down and looked at the red haired girl standing a few feet in front of her. "It is about Ron. I know you have been kind of avoiding him for the past few months. But I really think you should talk to him." Hermione remained silent. That was the last time Ginny said anything to her about it but Hermione still refused to say anything to Ron.

But she finally got the courage on the day of Graduation. It was a sunny day and the sky was bright blue. The two had just finished their last NEWT (potions) and were now walking around the grounds one last time. They knew it wasn't their last day at Hogwarts but it defiantly felt like it. There were lots of people about so Hermione suggested that they go somewhere quieter. She needed to talk to him.

"Ron…"

"Yes Hermione." She was looked at her shoes. He was playing with his hair.

"It has been an interesting school year." He just nodded his head. "I'm glad you've been my friend these past seven years." She said.

"Is that all you needed to talk to me about." His face was turning red from blushing.

"No there's more." She paused and looked up into his eyes. "I love you Ronald Weasley." There was a large smile on his face.

"I love you too Hermione Granger." For the first time in seven years Ron leaned into Hermione and kissed her.

A young girl with short auburn hair was walking along the beach. Her hair was blowing in the wind and her bright blue eyes were sparkling in the moonlight. She loved to walk the beach at night. But there was something different about tonight. She felt it. That was when she saw it. There was a body washed up on the shore. She ran over to it. Her heart stopped when she turned the body over. He looked so young. But he was still breathing. His jet-black hair was all over his face. There was sand in his goatee. When the girl brushed back his hair to look at his face she saw a lightening shaped scar on his forehead.


	3. Remembering

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the HP books, hence the idea of fanfiction. Sorry that it took me so long to get the next chapter. I was kind of at a writing block. But I couldn't sleep last night so I got up and started typing away. So here we go, don't forget to review!

**Chapter 3: Remembering**

Harry Potter sat in the kitchen of Christine Young. He sat sipping hot cider with a warm blanket wrapped around him. Christine was sitting across from him just staring into his eyes. She was trying to figure out this strange guy. He said nothing, did nothing, and just stared at the kitchen counter all evening. Christine's parents were asleep in their bed but she stayed up later.

"So who exactly are you?" She said after agonizing moments of him staring at the floor and her staring at him.

"Damien." He did not move his head. But stared at his empty cup. Meg was still not understanding what this boy found so interesting about his tea cup.

"So where are you from Damien?" She asked again.

"England."

"Do you ever say more than one word?"

"Nope." She put her mug down in frustration.

"I'm going to bed. I'll talk to you later, if you decide to talk." Christine stood up and walked away. "Boys." She mumbled as she walked up the stairs. She let out a heavy sigh as she headed into her room. Harry stood up and looked around. He looked at the pictures. He saw one of a girl, who looked familiar. She had frizzy brown hair and was smiling with Christine.

"Christine?" Damien shouted at her. Christine walked downstairs. She was now in her pj's and becoming frustrated. She looked at Damien with a curious look on her face. He was still looking at the pictures. She looked at him curious eyes.

"May I help you Damien?"

"Yeah, who is this in the picture?" He pointed to the one he had been staring at for a while. Christine looked at the picture and then took it off the mantel to look at it further. She smiled a bit.

"That's my cousin, Hermione. Hermione Granger." Damien examined the picture for a long time. Christine looked at him curiously but said nothing. A small smile came to her face. "She is beautiful isn't she?" Christine asked him. He simply nodded. He could not take his eyes off the picture. "Well I'm off to bed. I'll see you in the morning Damien." But Damien never took his eyes off the picture.

"There is something familiar about her…" He whispered to himself. He then took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. There was a sharp pounding in his head as he struggled to remember who this girl was. He looked at his watch, knowing it was late in the night and that he should be getting some sleep. He turned from the picture but he could still her face clearly in his mind. He walked up the stairs and off to bed.

Ron sat on an empty park bench, alone. The sky was cold and gray. A dark storm cloud resided above him and he feared for rain. He was wearing one of his best suits and did not want to ruin it. He kept looking at his watch and then glancing down the street. Some one was supposed to meet him here and he nervously waited for their arrival. He started tapping his foot lightly on the pavement and he ran his hands through his ginger hair. He checked the time once more and took a glance down the street.

At first he thought the street was empty but he looked harder, straining his eyes. And suddenly he could see a girl walking up the street. His heart skipped a beat. He smiled hoping that this could be the one he waited for. Her brown hair flowed gently with the wind. A small curl fell in front of her face. He pale blue dress was not visible for her brown coat fell to her ankles. He took a deep breath as he stood up to meet her. She smiled immediately the moment she laid eyes on him. She started running towards him and he ran towards her.

When they met they embraced each other as if they had been separated for a long time. Ron smiled. The girl smiled. Then they shared a passionate kiss. The sun shone brightly through the clouds. It was as if their love could stop the stormy skies and bring sunlight to all. Ron then took the girl by the hand to lead her to his surprise that he had been planning.

"Come Hermione." He whispered into her ear. "I want to show you something." Ron couldn't help by smile when he saw Hermione's face light up. He walked over to the park bench and on the side there was a small shopping bag there. He smiled as he reached into the shopping bag and pulled out a small black box. Hermione was slightly confused and continued to stare at the box. Ron handed it to her and she opened it, wondering what could be inside.

"No don't open it just yet." He said to her. "I want to tell you something first. From the moment I first laid eyes on you I knew you were special. Although I couldn't see it at first I was drawn to you. But I had trouble express myself to you. It took me six years to tell you that I loved you. And when I heard you loved me in return why I never wanted to be away from you again."

"Ron…" Hermione started.

"Let me finish." Ron was now shaking with nervousness. "Hermione Granger I love you with all my heart. And I can't live my life without you." He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. He got down on one knee and held Hermione's hand. Hermione started crying for she could only assume what was going to happen next. "Hermione Granger, will you marry me?" Ron said very quickly and nervously. He opened the box to show a beautiful ring with a small diamond stone in the middle.

Hermione smiled but was crying at the same time. She could not speak. But she nodded her head and Ron looked as if he could jump for joy. He slipped the ring onto her finger. He stood up to face her. She embraced him and continued to kiss him with great passion. Today their fears of never finding their beloved headmaster and dear friend were far behind them. Today it seemed that nothing could go wrong.

Christine was standing up on the deck when she heard the phone ring. She did not bother to answer it however. She knew that her parents would get it. Not that anyone would be calling for her anyway. So she stood on the deck and watched the sun the day get brighter. All the while she was sipping her coffee. But someone came out onto the deck to disturb Christine's morning silence. A thin, jet black haired boy came walking out onto the deck.

"Sleep well Damien?" She asked him politely.

"Fine enough." He replied. Damien looked around to see if anyone else could hear him. "But I had another nightmare. "Christine then looked around as well. She took Damien by the hand as she led him down the stairs and onto the beach. He followed her for this was now routine for them. Damien, well Harry, often had reoccurring nightmares about his experiences in the Department of Mysteries and that night on the mountain top. He would confide in Christine for he felt that she some how understood him.

"Damien these dreams, they must be a clue to your past. Have you been to think of anything that might be able to help you figure out where you came from?" Harry shook his head. Christine sighed quietly. She had been hoping that he would have given her something.

"Well there was one thing. That girl in the picture." Damien said softly.

"Then we are going to England Damien." Christine smiled at him. "We need to find her."

"England?" Harry asked. Christine smiled. He hugged her and a wave of emotion fell over her. For a moment she felt like she wanted to kiss Harry but she restrained herself. But she smiled at Harry and headed back up to the house. He looked at her curiously but she just smiled mysteriously.

"Let's get packing. We have a past to uncover."

Three thousand miles of ocean away there was a world of people wondering where this black haired boy would be. Few still had hope that he was even alive. But then if he was dead, was it possible that he-who-must-not-be-named could return. There were rumors of another powerful wizard. Much more powerful and perhaps much darker than he-who-must-not-be-named.

The rumors flew. And no sign of the heroes Harry Potter or Albus Dumbledore. But of course there was a girl who held the secret of Harry Potter. There were also rumors about this girl. Hermione was most interested in them for the girl sounded very familiar. And it was a race against time. Their world needed to find Harry Potter, and perhaps that would scare away the rumors.

But what of Albus Dumbledore? Had he really died? No one was sure that they could believe any of the rumors that flew about. Each one was as unlikely as the next. The old beloved headmaster was soon becoming just a memory. Perhaps he is linked with the whispers of a powerful wizard in the north. Then what can be made of the whispers of the powerful wizard in the south? No one can really be sure. But what people can be sure of is that great things are about to happen. For he-who-must-not-be-named did great things, terrible, yes, but great.


	4. Living a Lie

Here is chapter four. Thanks for all the great reviews. I am also open to suggestions to any further plot ideas or any other ideas for new stories. Just send them via email at: I look forward to hearing from my loyal fans. Keep reading and reviewing!

**Chapter 4: Living a Lie**

The sun was rising overhead. A young boy looked at it with great wonder. He looked around to see if anyone was watching him. Not that he had anything to hide however. He was just, prepared. No one could be sure what would come out of the shadows in the early the dawn. He started walking down the empty alley way praying that he would not run into any unfriendly souls.

His footsteps made no noise whatsoever. He was walking in just bare feet for he was too poor to afford anything at all. He stopped walking suddenly because he thought he heard the snapping of a twig. Fear rushed throughout his body. His skin was now as cold as ice. He could see a shadow just around the corner of a tall man. He tried hard not to breathe loudly.

The shadow grew larger which meant that the thing was coming closer to the boy. He was frozen with fear. He could no longer move. All he could do was watch the shadow come nearer to himself. He was now shaking with fear. The shadow continued to grow larger and the boy's heart began to pound harder inside his chest. He knew that the figure was about to approach him.

And from around the corner came a tall and skinny old man. He had a short gray beard. He wore half moon spectacles and there was a small twinkle in his eyes. The boy took a deep sigh of relief as he saw the man. A smile even came across his face. The old man smiled as well when he saw the boy.

"You should not be walking around like this." The old man said.

"Sorry sir. I had to go to the store to get some milk for my mother." He replied, his voice was barely above a whisper.

"Well you be careful. You never know what you will find in the shadows. The whispers may be quiet but powerful." He said quietly. "I actually came by to say goodbye my dear friend." The boy was curious why the old man would say this to him. He had been like a grandfather to him. "Certain whispers from a distant land have reached my ears and I know now is the time for me to return home."

"But Alberto…" The old man placed his hand up to silence the child. He kissed the boy on the forehead.

"Juan, you will be a great man one day. Trust your instincts, use your mind, and be very, very careful. I know you will do good things. But I really must be going." And in a flash the old man had gone. He arrived at an old building, which was now deserted. In a few weeks it would be filled with some of the brightest young minds of the age. It was true. Albus Dumbledore had returned to Hogwarts.

Damien sat on the plane his leg shaking with nervousness. He was about to find out about his past, something he had been longing to do ever since he set foot on that village up in the mountains. That was the last thing he remembered. That plus a few nightmares he kept having. But now he was finally going to learn about his past, he was going to learn who he was. And he was going to learn that he was not Damien.

Several hours later after leaving the United States, Damien and Christine arrived in the London airport. When they got there they headed over to King's Cross station to take a train to Hermione's house. Hermione was staying with her boyfriend in Romania for a couple of days before she would come home. So Christine arranged to stay with her aunt and uncle while they waited for Hermione to come home.

Christine could tell that Damien found all of London very familiar. Each they walked around a bit looking at the sights hoping that Damien would remember something. Damien and Christine searched every day for a week but they found nothing. Harry knew it looked familiar, as if in a distant memory but he could not figure out what this country so special.

So on Saturday Damien wore his new London baseball cap to hide what he felt was "that really annoying scar." They walked around London just to get out of the house before Hermione arrived. As they searched for a place to eat Damien came across an old looking building. Christine wouldn't have noticed the thing if Damien hadn't pointed it out. He wanted to go in but Christine was very hesitant.

"Come on Chris let's go in and see." She rolled her eyes at Damien but agreed to enter the place. It was a dark and gloomy place. There seemed to be a strange feel to this whole place. Christine knew in heart that she didn't belong here. No one stared at them however. Damien just looked around but decided soon to leave. Christine stayed in a moment and sat down at the bar.

"Who was that bloke you walked in with." The bar tender asked me in a very quiet tone.

"His name is Damien. You recognize him?" She asked him.

"Looks familiar. Looks kinda like…" He looked around and leaned in close to her. "Looks like Harry Potter." He stood up straight and coughed loudly. Christine looked around but no one cared to listen in on their conversation. Christine was glad to have gotten a name that possibly she could use. She would use this conversation to inspire some more investigating.

"Could be." She said standing up and heading out. Damien had found a place across the street to eat. Both of them kept glancing at the place they had just come out of. Christine knew that she had to tell Damien what she overheard in the bar. Upon hearing the name, Harry Potter, Damien stared at the bar for the longest time. He said nothing else while they ate their lunch. Neither of them spoke during the train ride home either.

When they got back to the Granger home Christine went up to Hermione's room to look through the books she had. Christine looked through several of her books before she finally found the name Harry Potter. He was in _Modern Magical History_, _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_, and Great _Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_. It was all interesting to her but since there were no pictures Christine was not convinced. As she looked around some more Christine found some Daily Prophet clippings that were much more interesting. She looked at the first one.

**The Boy Who Lived May No Longer Be Alive**

By: Venus Viggle

On May 12,1996 it was confirmed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is dead. And once again the person responsible for the fall of this dark wizard was none other than the Boy Who Lived, otherwise known as Harry Potter. On a mountain top behind the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Harry Potter and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named battled to the death. Of course young Potter was the victor in this battle of the century. This is the greatest news in the Wizarding world but there is one small problem that no one has been able to solve. Young potter and the beloved Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, have disappeared. No one has been able to trace down these two heroes even though their friends and family have searched desperately. Hogwarts Professor Minerva McGonagall will temporarily be taking Dumbledore's place as headmistress. But the mystery still remains, where are these two? Will they ever return? And are they still alive? If anyone has information please contact the Daily Prophet.

**Potter and Dumbledore: Dead or Alive?**

Harry Hospian

It has been two months since the defeat of Lord Voldemort but neither Harry Potter nor Albus Dumbledore have reappeared from their disappearing act. Men from the Ministry of Magic are conducting search parties for these two. But so far none have been successful. They have explored every inch of the Wizarding world in Britain and Ireland. Men are now being stationed in other sections of Europe such as Scotland, Germany, Italy, South Spain, Austria, and even parts of Russia. The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, comments in an interview with the Prophet, "if they are not found in two weeks that the Ministry will start searching in America. And if they are not found in the next year they will secretly be conducting search parties in the muggle world." Hopes are high that they will be found but the search continues. For many, all hope has died but for many others hope remains very much alive. So the question still remains: Are Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore dead or alive?

There were many articles just like it. But as Christine flipped through the article clippings she noticed that there were pictures. At first she only saw some of Hermione and some red headed boy. But then there were several pictures of this familiar black haired boy. Christine thought it might be true but she wasn't truly convinced until she saw one picture of just the boy and there was a scar on his forehead. It looked just like a lighting bolt.

"Damien!" Christine shouted with excitement. She brought the books, the Daily Prophet clippings, and the pictures down stairs. She almost tripped because she was so excited. But when she went to go tell Harry she found her cousin at the door. She was standing in the doorway, with that red-haired boy from the pictures, and they were staring at Damien.

"Harry?" Hermione said. There were tears forming in her eyes. And then her eyes rolled back and she fell towards the floor. Luckily Ron caught her before she hit the ground. But Ron was still staring at Harry. It seemed that they couldn't get over the shock that Harry Potter was standing right there. Damien looked at the red haired boy with wonder but Christine could still see Damien had no idea who he was.

"I just came from looking at Hermione's things. I think I might have solved the mystery of who you are." Christine said, hoping to make the situation less awkward. Ron then looked at Christine with the same confused look that Damien had just given Ron. "Damien… it seems that you are really," Christine paused for a moment and looked from the fainted Hermione to Ron then to Damien then back to Ron. Ron ended up finishing her sentence.

"Harry Potter."


	5. Hope and Memory

**Chapter 5: Hope and Memory**

Harry (Damien) looked from Ron to the fainted Hermione to Christine back to Ron. He was extremely confused. He walked over to a chair and sat down rubbing his forehead. Ron laid Hermione on the couch but too shocked to do anything else. Christine walked over to the kitchen and got a warm washcloth and set it on Hermione's head. She sat next to her, hoping to revive her.

"Someone please explain what is going on here?" Harry (Damien) said angrily. Hermione then tired to sit up but she looked a little light-headed still. She looked at Harry (Damien) again and almost passed out once more. But Christine caught her and started to rub the washcloth all over her face.

"You're Harry Potter. That's who you really are. I don't know exactly what is going on here Damien but I guess you really aren't Damien." Christine said quietly. Ron couldn't say anything but he had a large smile on his face. He went up to hug Harry (Damien) but Harry (Damien) pulled back. He did not like the idea of being hugged by a stranger.

"Harry, it's me Ron. You're best friend." Harry (Damien) stared at him blankly. Ron was slightly confused and then looked to the girl he did not know. "Why doesn't he know who he is?" Ron said with some anger in his voice. He had spent years searching for Harry and this is not how Ron imagined his reunion would be.

"It's obvious isn't it?" Christine said to Ron. "He has lost all memory of being this Harry dude or whatever. For the last several months he has been Damien, the guy we mysteriously found on the beach." Christine said slowly to Ron. She then looked down at Hermione who was still lying on the couch.

"How about I make us some tea?" Christine said, her voice shaking slightly. It was the only thing that she could think to say or do. Ron nodded his head but he was looking at Hermione. Harry watched Christine as she made her way into the kitchen. In a moment she was joined by a rather confused looking Hermione. The cousins looked at each other and then looked away. Hermione waved her wand and tea appeared on the kitchen counter.

"Always showing off aren't we?" Christine said bitterly. Hermione glared at her but Christine was looking at the floor. "Well would like to make me a strong cup of coffee while you're at it?" She added with the same bitterness in her voice. Hermione rolled her eyes but obliged to the request. Christine smiled weakly when Hermione handed her a large cup of black coffee. Hermione then took the tray out to the living room and was soon followed by her cousin.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione each took a cup of tea and started drinking in complete silence. Harry kept looking at everyone with the same confused bewildered look on his face. Hermione was staring at the tea in her cup while Ron had become extremely interested in his shoelaces. The pounding silence rang in each one of their ears until a frustrated Christine could no longer take it.

She left the living room and headed into the kitchen. She thought it would be best to leave the three of them alone to talk things through. She could soon hear Ron talking but could not make out what he was saying. As Christine drank her coffee tears began to fall down her cheeks. The sudden realization that Harry (Damien) was going to leave her forever when he got his memory back.

"How can you still not remember anything?" Hermione shouted. "After all that we've told you, you still cannot remember anything?" Christine wiped the tears from her eyes just as Hermione stormed into the kitchen. Tears were falling from her eyes as she leaned up against the refrigerator. Christine said nothing to her cousin so she could let her calm down a bit.

_It doesn't make any sense. You think he'd be able to remember something after all they told him. Unless he really took a hard hit to the head. Or…maybe it was tampered with. Those people can do those types of things… messing with minds, modifying memories. But why would someone want to do that? Unless he knew something he should not have. _Christine thought to herself. It seemed that her mind was going through a whirlwind of thoughts.

"Not your storybook ending is it?" Christine said quietly. Hermione looked up at her with a scowl on her face before burying her face in her hands. "But you got your friend back right? You always get everything you ever wanted." There was a hint of sarcasm in Christine's voice. Hermione did not even look up at her cousin.

"Why are you still going on about this?" Hermione said through the tears.

"I'm surprised you even know what I'm talking about." Christine said harshly.

"Just because you didn't get a letter…" Hermione started but Christine cut her off.

"It wasn't about the letter." Christine said but she could bring herself to say what was really on her mind. For years she thought of what she might say when she saw Hermione for the first time in several years but of course she couldn't bring herself to come down on Hermione right now. But it didn't matter anyways because Christine was too focused on Harry (Damien).

"He has no idea who he is or where he came from. All he can remember is being this Damien guy!" Christine looked at her harshly. Hermione's voice was now shaking with anger again. "You must have done this too him!" Christine was now glaring hard down on her cousin.

"Yeah well why would I do something like that?"

"For revenge… I dunno. We told him everything, showed him pictures, and he still can't remember!"

"Well he must have taken a hit to the head or something because I did nothing to him. He was washed up on the beach when I found him. He was shipwrecked or something. Just give him time, he'll come around. Everything always seems to go your way anyways." Christine muttered the last part under her breath. Hermione was still looking at her cousin.

"Yes well I certainly hope so." There was a long pause in which Hermione took the chance to blow her nose. Christine looked around the kitchen for a moment. Neither cousin spoke to the other and the silence went on for what seemed like hours. Hermione was looking at the tiled floor while Christine was busy looking at the ceiling. Finally Christine could not longer take the silence and so she spoke up.

"Did you ever consider that he didn't hit his head?"

"What are you babbling about now?" Hermione said in a harsh tone. It seemed that she liked it best when Christine was silent.

"Well it's just a possibility that maybe someone damaged his memory permanently. I mean you guys can do that right? I dunno who would want to do such a thing but it is a possibility isn't it?" Hermione just looked at Christine for the idea had not crossed her mind until now. But of course she did not have a long time to process the entirety of the circumstances.

"It is a possibility yes. But I don't see who could have done it?"

"Well unless you were with Da- I mean Harry the entire time then it is very possible that you didn't see them do anything. If you want to solve any part of this mystery I think it would be best if each of you told me your part of the story... unless you think I won't be of any help." She said sarcastically. Hermione narrowed her eyes at Christine and made to head out of the kitchen. Christine followed her slowly.

When they both retreated back to the living room Hermione told them what Christine had mentioned about a memory charm. Hermione then proceeded to tell her all she remembered of that fateful day upon that mountain. Ron, with some reluctance told his side of the story as well. Harry then told all he could remember from the night he found himself in the village with Eliza and Henry Burden. Christine could see that many of the pieces of the story were missing and with Harry's memory gone she knew that they would be harder to uncover.

"Harry... I wanted to ask you earlier.." Ron started after a long hour of story telling , "well you see Hermione and I are getting married at the end of June and since well you were... I mean are my best friend... I was wondering if you'd be my best man?" Ron went through this all very fast and so it was hard to make out what he was saying. "Sure thing mate." Harry replied Christine looked at Hermione. It was news to her that Hermione was getting married. Of course Hermione had always been reluctant to pass on information to her cousin ever since their last meeting. Christine forced a smile at Hermione, trying to convey that she was actually happy about Hermione getting married.

"So did that wedding invitation just get lost in the mail? Or did that owl of yours somehow deliver it to the wrong person. I don't know how fast owl post is compared to UPS or whatever." Christine said with a touch of bitterness in her voice. Hermione just looked at her, wondering how to respond. Christine looked into her cousin's eyes trying to see if their was sincerity in her face.

"Christine will you just give it a rest?"

"Whatever you say princess." Hermione and Christine did not speak to each other the rest of the night.


	6. Mysteries Revealed

Sorry it took me so long to set up this chapter... but there is a pretty neat twist at the end of it... hope you like. And remember... things aren't always what they seem... so if you don't like the way it is going, keep reading, you'll never know what happens!

**Chapter 6: Mysteries Unraveled **

The weeks went by and Harry still did not remember anything before that fateful day upon the mountaintop. They visited all kinds of healers and muggle doctors but they all said the same thing. The Healers told them that Harry he had encountered some powerful magic upon his memory and that it could take years for his memory to be restored. The doctors said just to wait it out and maybe his memory would return. They seemed to be running into dead end after dead end.

Christine and Hermione were now constantly looking through old magazines and newspapers to see if they could find any clues to Harry's disappearance. The more they searched the more discouraged they became. They found nothing except the articles Hermione had in her room. All they said was that Harry and Dumbledore had disappeared, something everyone knew.

One day Christine was looking through some of the muggle tabloids, just to see if she could find anything of interest. She was alone, Hermione went out with Ron to who knows where. Harry went with them but Christine had no interest to being ignored once more. So she stayed in Hermione's apartment trying to find more clues, although she wasn't looking all that hard.

She turned the page lazily after reading an article about a cow with two heads. She only glanced at the titles now, bothering to read some of the stranger articles. She only wanted a bit of humor. She was about to turn the page once more when she saw an interesting headline. After glancing at it, she started to read the article, becoming more interested by the second.

**_MOUNTAINSIDE MYSTERY_**

_On the night of May 9, 1996 curious residents of the small village of Hearte's Hallow experienced the out of the ordinary. There were constant rumblings from the Hallow Mountains that supposedly have been deserted for years. A few villagers even saw flashes of light including a large green flash somewhere around midnight. The lights illuminated the mountainside for seconds at a time. Many of the villagers to this day remain confused. But what is most mysterious of all is that a boy, no older than 17 years of appeared in the village a few days later. Henry and Eliza Burden told reporters that a boy with jet-black hair, brilliant green eyes, and a funny lightening-shaped scar on his forehead came to their home. He had no recollection of whom he was and so the old couple took him into their home. A while later he left to search out his past. The Burden's would tell us nothing more of the boy. We only know that he seems to match a description of a missing boy by the name of Harry Potter. The Burdens say they do no know where the boy had gone and there has been no sightings of him. But no further clues can be linked to the flashes of light and the rumblings to the mysterious boy. But there remains more to the mystery that we have yet to uncover._

Christine stared the article. It was taking her a little while to absorb it all. For unlike her cousin, she had not been on the mountaintop so many years ago. She had no idea what it was like when it happened. But she knew that this was important. She cut out the article and placed it is a small black folder, that she kept hidden from the others.

It was one missing puzzle piece. And one puzzle piece that the three would never find. Christine finished looking through the magazines and then turned to the one where she cut out the article. She took out a piece of paper with writing on it and carefully taped into where the article had once been.

Christine then placed the magazines in a neat stack on the coffee table. She put the black folder in her bag and headed out of the apartment. She headed to the subway for her hotel room was across town. She sat on the subway alone, but had the distinct feeling that someone was following her. Chills were going up and down her spine every time she turned around. But she tried to shake off that creepy feeling as she got off the subway train and headed to the street.

She walked the two blocks to where her hotel was, oblivious to all else around her. She was thinking about the article she had stored away in her bag. Christine headed in through the double doors and past the desk without a word of greeting. She turned left towards the elevator and headed up to the fourth floor. She then took a right and headed down hallway a few feet before she reached her room. As Christine looked for her key the maid walked by her, giving her a strange look.

Christine finally found her key and made her way into her hotel room. She placed her bag on the dresser near the door and headed to the bed but to her surprise there was someone else on it. She had to cover her mouth with her hand as if not to scream. Her heart was pounding so hard that she thought it was going to come straight out her chest. She was breathing heavy and sweat was coming down her forehead.

The man sitting on the bed was thin and gaunt, he looked like he had not eaten in several days. He had a pale white face for he had not seen the sun in days. But he had a stern look about his face, a harsh look. It matched his cold gray eyes. But his most distinguishing feature was his slick, greasy black hair. He stared at Christine, disapproving of her behavior. He sat on the bed in complete silence, waiting for Christine to say something first.

"Severus you gave me such a startle. What are you doing here? I thought I was to meet you tonight." Christine said to the man, still trying to regain her breath. She was breathing deeply now but there was still some fear in her eyes.

"Something came up and I did not want to run the risk of sending you a note and having it fall into the wrong hands." He said calmly, with an air of superiority and arrogance in his voice. There was a small moment of silence when the two of them just looked at each other. Christine took a deep breath before going to her bag and pulling out the black folder. She handed him the article, along with some other papers.

"I found this article." She said referring to the one of the tabloid. "And I took these from her. She won't she's lost them for she never looks at them." Christine's voice was shaking slightly and her hands were quivering. Severus looked them over. He showed no sign of any emotion as he looked at their contents.

"This is good. The less they know the better. You are doing surprisingly good work. I had my doubts Christine but you have proved me wrong. When you wrote to me saying you wanted revenge on your dear cousin I thought it was a petty request but you have turned out to be very helpful indeed. Keep it up."

Severus looked at Christine as he folded up the papers and placed them in his coat pocket. Christine was still trembling, for she did this every time she spoke with Severus Snape. He cast a fear about her that she could never seem to hide. Not that it would make a difference, Snape had a way of seeing inside her mind and she knew not to hide anything from him.

"We will meet at said place at said time in two weeks time. Hopefully you will find more. And I will give you a new assignment."

"Yes sir." And he was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving Christine alone in the hotel room. She was now breathing normally but there was still fear left in her eyes. But this time, it was mixed with a slight hint of anger. She walked over to her balcony, opened the window and stood outside. She looked to the edge of the horizon for a moment, before going inside and lying on her bed.

"Hermione will get what she deserves." And Christine fell into a deep sleep.


	7. Christine's Worst Memmory

**Chapter 7: Christine's Worst Memory**

A younger Christine came walking down the street. There was a strange coldness in the air. Even though it was a warm summers day Christine felt an odd chill run down her spine. She suddenly felt the sudden need for a jacket. But she continued to walk home after going to the store for something. But as she neared her house she found a strange green thing lingering above her house. It was a bright green skull with a snake coming out of its mouth.

The neighbors looked on in wonder and curiosity but they could offer no explanations. But Christine had a feeling that something truly out of the ordinary had just happened at her home. She stared at the house for the longest time, too frightened to go in herself because she feared something might be waiting for her inside. She tried calling her parents but no one answered.

"Christine Granger, come with me." Said a voice from behind her. She was tempted to stay behind but she had no choice but to follow this strange man. He was wearing a black robe; much like the ones her cousin Hermione had shown her before she left for that boarding school. And then a lump came into Christine's throat when she realized who she was dealing with now.

They walked into a back alley where not even the gray cats lingered about. He took her by the hand but before she could try and free herself she felt her feet lift off the ground. She was spinning in a whirl of fear and daze. It was as if she was being stretched or squeezed through a tight tube. She was losing what air she had in her lungs but soon the taste of the cool evening air filled her mouth once more.

They were now in a strange lobby with marble floor and few people. There was a statute in the middle with two people holding sticks. A centaur, a strange small creature, and what Christine guessed to be a goblin of some sort. She was very confused but did not ask any questions of the man who was still holding her hand. Then another man who had the physic of a lion came rushing into the lobby.

"Rufus, another muggle killing, a man and wife by the name of Alice and Steve Granger. I brought their daughter."

"Hermione Granger will have some hand in this I know it." Said the other man in a strange voice that did not seem to suit him.

"Killing her aunt and uncle, what is this world coming too. I am going to send this girl to a friend in America, she will hopefully be safe there."

But Christine did not remember any more of the conversation. Christine looked at the man who was still holding her arm. She felt like she was going to pass out, her head was spinning around. The two men were going in and out of focus. Her eyes rolled back into her head as she lost the strength to stand.

Dead. Her parents were dead. She had heard the man say it. It was almost impossible for her to believe that her parents were dead. And had she heard him right, Hermione had some part in the killing of her aunt and uncle? Two weeks later after spending some time in the hospital Christine was moved to America, where she lived with another couple by the name of David and Julie Young. But Christine vowed that she would get revenge on Hermione for the terrible deed she had done.

Christine awoke with a start. Her face was covered in sweat and she felt even worse than before taking the nap. She remembered every detail of her dream for this was not the first time she had dreamt it. Christine looked at her clock to see she had only been asleep for an hour. She changed her clothes and then went down to the hotel restaurant for dinner.

Christine was sixteen years old when she learned her parents had been murdered. Well there had been murders going on for some time now but Christine never thought that those committing the crimes would ever land on her doorstep. This memory, or rather this nightmare, had visited her several nights before. It tormented her for so long and she desperately wished she could remove this memory from her mind. This memory was no real however. But it seemed all too real to Christine.

Throughout the meal, however, she could not help but think of her dream. Even though she had already been through the painful experience, she burned with anger every time the nightmare re-visited her. She never spoke to Hermione about what she had done for Christine considered her unworthy to speak to for a long time. But now she had her chance for revenge.

And revenge is sweet.

But what Christine does not know is that the memory is false. It was placed in her brain by the work of a dark wizard. For he had a plan. He knew that Harry Potter stood strong and tall as long as he had the support of his friends. And that the boy would be easier to destroy if one of his closest friends was gone. But it was not so easy for him to go around killing people just yet. He needed a plan.

And that is where Christine came in. Severus Snape, managed to escape from Dumbledore's ever watching eye, to follow his true master, Tom Riddle. But when Harry managed to defeat the darkest wizard of all, Snape decided that yes revenge is sweet. And so he worked on a scheme to get the boy who lived. He planed for months, arranging the murders of Alice and Steve Granger. Placing a false memory in Christine's head and then offering her the chance for revenge.

Hermione knows nothing of the memory. And so she easily trusts her cousin. But similar to what her master did, Christine is working two roles. She is an actor, with a very well thought out part. She is motivated by something false, which perhaps makes the deeds of Severus Snape so much crueler. Of course he does not care. And he never has.

After dinner Christine went back up to her hotel room. She was tired and had a growing headache. But she had work to do. Christine went over to the desk and got on her computer. She pulled up every article she found about Hearte's Hallow and the mystery that day upon the mountain. She printed out every one of them before hacking to the website and deleting the articles.

"Not that they would think to look here anyway but just to be sure." Her voice was quivering still. "This better be worth it. Severus is scary enough already without me having to make a mistake. The last mistake is still frightening me to this day." Christine said to herself. She shook her head as she shut down the computer and lay back down on the bed.

She lay there for hours it seemed. She laid there looking up at the ceiling as the tears fell down her cheeks. It had been so long since she cried herself to sleep. But the tears kept falling as she drifted off into another sleep of terrifying nightmares. She woke up with a start at 2:00 in the morning, dripping in sweat and eyes red from falling tears.

"Why did you do it Hermione? What did I ever do to you?" She whispered in the darkness. "Why?" The tears were falling down her face. "WHY?" Christine was now sitting up in bed shouting at the opposite wall. She probably had wakened up neighbors but she didn't care. "WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS ME?" Christine cried and cried until she finally fell back asleep.


	8. The Past Awoken

**Chapter 8: The Past Awoken**

A dark gray mist hovered over the black asphalt street. The only source of light was the silver of a moon in the sky. It faded in and out of the clouds above. Most of the stars were hidden behind the dark clouds above, making it almost pitch black dark. Raindrops fell softly from the sky upon the ground. The only sound that could be heard was the pitter-patter of the rain.

But soon footsteps could be heard in the distance. A small person in a long black overcoat and matching black pants walked out from the alleyway. She turned the corner and stood next to the tall lamppost. Light flickered above and so illuminating the person. It was a woman, with short dark hair that was wet from the rain. Her hazel eyes held the sorrow and grief of a lifetime. She pulled her collar closer to her neck as a breeze brushed past her. Icy cold air came out her mouth every time she let a breath escape her lips.

The girl stood alone underneath the lamppost for several minutes. Soon a black car drove past her. She watched drive by her, water splashing up as it drove through a puddle. It drove by once more but this time it slowed to a stop. The back door swung open and the girl got inside

When she got in the back seat she found out that she was not alone. There was a man sitting next to her. She looked him for a second before taking a deep breath. He did not smile nor show any emotion. His greasy black hair seemed to illuminate in the scarce moonlight from above.

"Severus good to see you. I hear Christine is doing a good job." She said, her voice was shaking ever so slightly.

"Good enough. But I am more concerned with what you are doing Lora." He said softly but it was the voice of a distant thunder rolling across the hills.

"Well I do have news for you. He still has no knowledge of who he really is. But something more interesting has come across my ears. Really quite remarkable actually."

"Get to the point Lora." He said sharply. She jumped a little as the car made a sudden turn down another street. But neither of them was paying any attention to where the car was actually taking them.

"Albus Dumbledore is alive. He was last seen in a little village in Guam."

"And is that all you have? Just that is alive and is probably a thousand miles away from Guam now?"

"Well rumor has that he is trying to find the Potter. My guess is he went back to his roots." There was a moment of silence where Lora looked into the eyes of Severus. They were dark, cold, and held many secrets. But she could not see what mysteries the eyes of Severus Snape held.

"Yes. Hogwarts. You know what you must do. Search the place. Come back with what you find. And take haste. Time is not our friend."

"What about Christine? I fear her friends will soon realize what she is up to."

"She will not let that happen. The stakes are too high. I know she will perform. And it is not your place to worry about her. You need to focus on your mission and your mission alone. Do you understand me?"

"Yes sir. I will not let you down." She said her voice shaking slightly. Severus looked at her with the same emotionless voice that he always had. Lora looked into his eyes once more but saw nothing. As Severus looked into her eyes he saw fear and despair. The car pulled back up to the same lamppost they came to earlier. Lora got out of the care and she watched it as it drove off into the distance.

She stood there on the curb for a moment as the rain slowed down. She pulled her coat closer to her as she walked back to the alleyway. There was not a soul in sight as she walked back to her apartment. The rain stopped and the clouds slow moved, uncovering the stars above.

"He's alive?" Exclaimed Ginny when she found out that Harry was alive. She was away looking for him in America and was impossible to trace. "Well why didn't you say anything?" Her face was almost as red as her hair. Hermione, her future sister-in-law, stared at Ginny lost for anything to say. She looked to Ron for a better answer.

"We tried Gin." Ron said weakly. "But we kept missing you. You were traveling so much that it was impossible to track you at all. We really wanted to tell. But frankly it was a bit shocking to have him appear at our doorstep. I mean when Hermione's cousin, Christine, brought him…"

"A girl brought him!" Ginny exclaimed. She was more confused and upset than she was before.

"Well there is something we left out… Harry can't remember who he is. So it isn't likely that he would remember you much less pick up where you left off." Hermione said meekly. Ginny was at a loss for what to say. Every time she opened her mouth, no sound would come out. She just stared at Hermione and Ron, bewildered and confounded.

"But… how can this be? So he really doesn't remember?"

"He doesn't remember anything. Look Ginny we've told him everything we know, including about the two of you but he still doesn't remember. We think someone put a memory charm on him. But we haven't been able to find anything leading to real evidence for that. So just go talk to him. Maybe then he'll remember."

Hermione said to her as Ron but his arm around her shoulder. Ginny walked out of the room in a furry. She had dedicated so much time to finding Harry and this is not how she thought things would turn out when he came back. Just then someone came into the room that Ron and Hermione were in. Ginny could hear his familiar voice in the distance. She walked into the room but she was heartbroken when he said nothing to her.

_How can this be? This is not the Harry I remember. Why did it turn out this way? _

"Um… Harry." Ron started as he looked at Ginny who was about ready to burst into tears. "You remember Ginny don't you?"

"I remember you telling me about her. But that is it." He said plainly. After a long period of silence Ginny ran out of the room in tears. Hermione went after her leaving the boys alone. Harry looked confused and Ron looked hurt. Neither of them spoke to each other but sat in the couch in silence. After five minutes of this Christine walked in through the front door with two large bags in her hands.

"I bought dinner. There's a deli right outside the hotel." She said cheerfully but her good mood faded as soon as she saw Harry and Ron's faces. "What did someone die in here?"

"Ginny." Ron said but this was not helpful at all to Christine. She looked at Ron confused, hoping he would explain more. "She and Harry dated before she disappeared but of course he doesn't remember who she is. And she is very upset." This was the first time Christine had heard about Ginny. She tried to hide the disappointment from her face.

"So naturally she wanted to pick up where the two of left off. Well why don't we get the table set. I wasn't expecting a fifth member but I think we should have enough food. I bought extra anyways." Christine said with a forced smile as she walked into the kitchen. She got out five table settings and starting placing the food out. She took a deep breath as she tried to hold back the tears that were forming in her eyes.


	9. Betrayal

**Chapter 9: Betrayal**

A month went by and the trio was getting nowhere as to why discovering Harry had lost his memory. To tell the truth they had given up hope and had focused more on telling Harry about his past. Christine was glad that they abandoned their search; it certainly made her job easier. But Hermione was so busy planning her wedding that she seemed to be spending less and less time with Harry and Christine.

And then there was Ginny. For some reason Christine was repulsed by her. It could have been the fact that Ginny was trying her best to try and get Harry's memory back so that they could pick up where they left off. Christine worked very hard to hold back the notion to tell Ginny she was wasting her time and that Harry could be interested in other women. But of course she wasn't even sure that Harry liked her in return so she said nothing.

The prospect of revenge is the only thing that was keeping Christine from losing her mind. She was tired of Hermione bugging her about which place settings she should and other pointless stuff like that. In if that wasn't enough Hermione asked Christine to be one of her bride's maids. For a moment Christine had thought the stress of the wedding was really getting to Hermione but she decided to agree just to keep and suspicions down.

As the days wore on it was obvious that Christine was dealing a great about of strain. She was not only trying to make Hermione think nothing was wrong but she was busy doing work for Severus that often required late nights and long trips overseas. Christine let everyone think she was doing something for her job but they had no idea what was going to be in store for them.

But Harry was the only one who sensed that something was wrong. But whenever he tried to ask her about it she would always change the subject. She didn't want him to suspect that anything weird was going on. But he was more concerned with her health and well being.

"Christine, you seem stressed lately." Harry said to Christine one afternoon as they were eating lunch. She avoided his gaze as she looked at her food and picked at it subconsciously. "You look very pale and gaunt. Your eyes are red and you have bags under them. Are you sure something isn't wrong?"

"Just a lot of things to do at work, Harry."

"Well maybe you need a vacation. Take a trip somewhere. You need to relax Christine."

"I'll be fine Harry. You'll see."

"Fine. Whatever you say." He said to her unconvincingly.

"Well I should be going back to my hotel. I need to be packing."

"Packing?"

"Yeah, I'm going home." Harry looked confused and somewhat hurt. He was upset that Christine hadn't mentioned this before.

"But what about Hermione's wedding?" It was the first thing that came to his mind.

"Well I'll fly back for it. I just need to do some things at home. Don't worry about it Harry." She always found it hard to call him Harry. Inside she felt as if he was still Damien, the boy he found washed up on the beach so long ago. "I'll be fine Harry. I'll see you soon." She said kissing him on the cheek. "You should go back inside Harry, they'll be waiting for you."

Christine walked off without saying another word to Harry. She reached her hotel and immediately starting packing. She was really going home for a break. It took so much courage for her put up with Hermione for so long and she needed to distance herself from her cousin before she did something rash. But remember, she basing her hatred on a false memory. And the hidden truth lingers about.

Once her bags were packed Christine headed out of the hotel room and gave her key to the man at the front desk. She was in a way glad to be leaving London. It would give her a chance to clear her head. Christine loaded her bags onto the subway as she rode over to London Heathrow Airport.

The whole time she was thinking about what she was going to have to do when she came back here. Ruin a wedding, commit a murder, and win the guy's heart was all on the to do list. Her mind was filled with doubts of whether this was the right thing to do. Of course every time a doubt came into her head she had to re-live that terrible day when she found out her parents were dead.

Christine went through a daze the entire seven hour flight and the ride home. She wasn't really thinking about anything. All she wanted to do was pretend like this whole thing had never happened. She wanted to pretend that she had never met Damien, that she never learned that Hermione had a hand in her parents' murder, and that she had never made that deal with Severus Snape.

When Christine got home she was greeted by an empty house, something she found to be strange. Her parents should have been home at this time of night. And there was a cold feeling that ran through the house that sent a chill down Christine's spine. She walked up the stairs to her room to put down her suitcases. She then walked out to her balcony to watch the sunset.

As Christine watched the sun set in the west and the clouds turn from yellow, to pink, to red, to orange she became lost in thought. For some reason her mind went back to the same night that she found out her parents were murdered. It was like a film reel went off in the back of her mind. It kept playing the scene where the ministry workers told her what Hermione had done. It was as if the film reel was stuck for the scene kept playing over and over again. Christine just sat on the chair looking out at the ocean as the tears fell from her eyes.

Christine could see a younger version of herself walking down the street to her house. Christine could feel the strange coldness in the air as she did that same night several years ago. She knew was going to happen but the younger Christine still continued to walk home after returning from the store. And the older Christine shivered as she remembered the bright green skull with a snake coming out of its mouth that lingered above her house. She remembered how panicked she was when she could not reach her parents. She remembered being taken away by the ministry worker.

Christine saw her younger self walking into the lobby with the marble floor. She remembered seeing the statue and the man with the lion like appearance. And they started talking to one another, just as if Christine was not there. The memory was like knife in the side every time she saw it but there was now escaping from it now.

"Rufus, another muggle killing, a man and wife by the name of Alice and Steve Granger. I brought their daughter."

But Christine just as Christine was expecting to hear the lion faced man to say that Hermione must have had a hand in it he said something different. It was as if this part of the film had been hidden for some time because it was aged and fuzzy.

"Severus Snape must have had a hand in this." He paused for a moment. Christine thought that she might have heard wrong. It was Hermione, not Severus that killed her parents. Why did he say Severus? "That is the cousin of Miss Hermione Granger, friend of Harry Potter?"

"Yes sir." The other man replied. Christine wondered why she never saw this part of the memory before.

"Well Miss Granger will be greatly upset over the killing of her aunt and uncle."

"Were will we put the daughter?"

"Far from Hermione, they might be prone to come after her if Christine is too close to Hermione. I am going to send this girl to a friend in America, she will hopefully be safe there."

And suddenly Christine was forced back into reality when she heard the door creek open. But it was a slow creaking noise as if those coming in the house did not want to be heard. There were hushed voices, which was odd because her parents were quite chatty. Christine had a funny feeling about whoever was trying to come into her house. So she headed down the stairs that led to the beach.

So Christine then ran over to the neighbor's house and went underneath their porch, which was impossible to see from the balcony of her house. She then carefully worked her way so that unless they came under the porch, it would be impossible to see her. She could not see the house from where she was hiding however and so she had no idea when to go back. Christine watched the sun go over the ocean and decided it was best to remain where she was during the night.

Christine had fallen asleep where she was hiding underneath the porch. The bright sunlight shone brightly and woke Christine up the next morning. She listened to see if anyone was coming but heard only the crashing of the waves. So carefully she came out of her clever hiding spot to see a terrifying sight on top of her house. It was the same dark mark that lingered over her house that day her parents were killed.

Not knowing what to do Christine decided to run for it. Someone had to be after her and she knew that she was not safe. She started running down the street and bumped right into a strange looking man with black robes. He had a serious look on his face as he stared at Christine. He then grabbed her arm tightly and they were gone in a flash.

They reappeared in the familiar lobby with the marble floors. Christine's face was pale white with terror as she saw the statue with the wizard, witch, and the three creatures. Christine tried to speak but she was incapable of forming any words or sentences. Her mouth hung slightly open as she stared at the man, her eyes begging him for answers to what had just happened. But he said nothing. Why would he say nothing? Christine needed to know what was going on.

"You're in deep trouble. Someone is trying to kill you." He said after the long silence.

"What?"

"We got a lead about a Severus Snape coming after you?"

"But…" Christine did not mention how she was supposed to be on good terms with that man. But this confused her even more for he was supposed to help her get revenge on Hermione. Something was not right with this picture. "Why would he be after me?" That was the only question she could think of to ask.

"We don't know yet. But your cousin's fiancée, Ronald Weasley, was kidnapped yesterday morning. We think the crimes are related. You need to stay here for your safety." Before Christine say a word of protest he was gone in flash. Christine felt cold as she stood in the lobby alone. Then another man came in and led her to the elevator. She felt dizzy, as if she was going to pass out.

She could barely remember what happened next but that she somehow ended up in a strange room. There was a couch that she was told to lie down on. Some man handed her a bottle to drink, he mentioned something about calming down. But Christine took it and drank it, hoping that whatever was in it would make the headache go away. A million different thoughts were bouncing around in Christine's head.

_Hermione is up to her old ticks again. She just can't stand to see me happy. I'll get Hermione for this. I swear I will. But why would Severus be trying to kill me. He is supposed to be my friend? Severus promised me he would help me. He can't be after me. He promised me. I gave him information. I gave him so much and he treats me like this. If Severus won't help then I will get Hermione myself. Yeah I will get her myself. But Severus has to be helping because kidnapping Ron was part of the plan. It was part of the plan. It was part of the plan. _

Christine kept whispering something that sounded like part of the plan. There was no one in the room but she started to fade in and out of reality. She could see herself back in the marble floor lobby with the lion face man, he was telling her that Hermione killed her parents but then in a flash he was telling her it was Severus Snape that did. As Christine continued to get more and more confused she started sweating and swearing. Then she passed out on the floor.


	10. Behind the White Door

Chapter 10: Behind the White Door 

Christine woke up in St. Mungo's three days later. She had suffered from shock and the ministry workers thought it best to bring her to St. Mungo's to avoid awkward questions. She was sleeping in a ward with five other occupants. She seemed to be the only one who did not look to be an extreme amount of pain. She could barely remember what happened three days ago. It was all a blur in her mind.

As Christine sat up in her bed she finally noticed that there were two people sitting in chairs at the edge her of her bed. She was surprised to see Hermione and Harry looking up at her with worried expressions. No one spoke a word for what seemed like forever. Christine was still having trouble grasping what was going on. She did not want to believe that Snape had betrayed her but she could not shake the memory from her mind.

That meant Hermione was innocent. She did not have any part in her parents' murder. But Christine had spent her life believing that. One memory… if it was a memory… could change her life forever. She debated back and forth of which view was the truth. Maybe neither was true and this was all one large dream. Maybe she would wake up and still be sixteen years old. If only that were true.

"You…" Christine started, anger suddenly flowing throughout her body. Once again she needed somebody to blame. Hermione had to have done it, she killed her true parents and now she killed her foster parents. That was an unforgivable sin. Christine's eyes glared at her cousin's as the hatred consumed her. "This is all your fault. How could you? Wasn't one murder enough? What do you stand to gain by this? I thought you might have changed, but you are the same Hermione, always thinking of yourself."

Hermione looked completely confused. She stood up as if to get a nurse but then sat back down. The thoughts were beginning to process in her head but she could not make any sense of what Christine had just said to her. Harry looked equally confused but kept his mouth shut as he stared at his shoelaces. The familiar silence rang once again in their ears. Hermione was too afraid to speak and Christine was too angry.

"I… I… I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

By this time Christine regretted saying what she had. Now the plan was ruined. In the back of her mind she knew that Snape would not be happy with her. But then there was another part of her that said Snape was not to be trusted. She rubbed her forehead as the battle of the thoughts continued. Hermione stood up to get a healer, hoping that they could shed light onto the situation.

But by the time Hermione had returned with the healer Christine was shouting and screaming at Harry. She kept saying that Hermione was a backstabbing traitor who deserved to die and that Christine had already been tormented enough by her cousin. She then said that Hermione was not to be trusted for she was a murderer and would stop at nothing until she saw Christine dead. The other patients did not notice or care about Christine's fit. The Healer rushed over and gave a quick flick of her wand and Christine was out cold like a light.

"We need to examine her mind. I fear someone may have tampered with it. But we can never been too sure. If you two will follow me." The healer said as he gave another flick of his wand. Christine was now floating in mid-air and gliding along the corridor as the healer walked towards the door. Hermione and Harry stood up without saying a word as they followed the man. They walked down several flights of stairs before walking behind a large black door.

There they traveled along a dark corridor where the lamps were scarce and dusty. Hermione had an odd feeling about this but nevertheless they continued to follow the healer. They soon reached a second door and then they walked along another corridor but this one was brighter with blue lights floating above them. After walking for a few seconds they turned to a door and the four went inside.

Hermione and Harry stepped slowly into the white room. There was a padded table and two chairs. The healer instructed Harry and Hermione to sit down. He then placed Christine on the padded table and took out his wand. The healer took a deep breath before he looked at the two sitting in the white chairs.

"Now," the healer began, "this is a very complex piece of work. You two will need to be absolutely quiet and keep your thoughts to a minimum. Just relax and let yourself become part of the white room. That will make my job a lot easier. When I am finished I will then work on the boy followed by the girl. Just be patient and relax." He took a deep breath. "Now let us begin the magic."

Hermione and Harry stared at the white walls facing them. They just now realized that everyone was wearing white clothing. Hermione stared into the wall on her left and she felt empty inside. No thoughts came out of her head. It was as if she was one with the wall. The whiteness of the room consumed her. She closed her eyes and drifted off. Harry experienced the same sensation as he plainness of the room overwhelmed him. He too soon drifted off.

Two hours later Christine was finally finished with the operation. A flash of blue light came into the room and Harry and Hermione were jolted back into reality with much force. They had no idea so much time had past. They saw Christine on the table looking, lying there as if she were dead. And suddenly she disappeared into the nothingness. Hermione and Harry were both shocked but the healer looked as calm as ever. Noting their confusion he spoke to them.

"She has gone off to the recovery room. Do not worry. Harry please get up on the platform and lay down." The healer took out his wand and muttered a few words and suddenly Harry was fast asleep. He smiled at Hermione who took that to be her cue to start staring at the walls once more. She again floated into the realm where all thought and mind vanished. She was filled with emptiness as her mind shut down and she drifted away.

Another two hours later a flash of light filled the room but this time it was purple. Hermione was violently jolted back into the real world. She watched Harry as he too disappeared into thin air. Hermione and the healer remained in the room. He motioned to her to get onto the raised platform. He held his wand in his left hand as he muttered a few words and Hermione drifted off into a deep a dreamless sleep.

Christine woke up in a strange room that was covered in blue pin-stripped wall-paper. She was sleeping in a king size bed and her body was buried underneath all the sheets and covers. There was a window and outside she could see the ocean. She heard the sound of the waves rolling against one another and the seagulls crying. She looked around to see that there were black and white photographs of the ocean and the pier. Seashells and other beach-like decorations covered the room.

She pulled back the covers as she headed to look towards the window. The room looked very familiar but she could not place where she had seen it before. Christine was wearing pink pajamas with pictures of different cakes on it. Her hair was tied in pig-tail braids, something she had not done since she was a little girl. Confused and slightly hungry Christine headed for the door but instead of revealing what should have been more of the house she walked into a large hallway.

She walked down the hallway trying to figure out what was going on when she bumped into Hermione. She was wearing a pink bathrobe and her hair was slightly messy. She had white fuzzy slippers as well. The two looked at each other at a loss for what to say. That was when Christine remembered what her room was.

It was the beach house that her parents owned and she would visit during the summer holiday. Every summer Christine and her cousin would spend a month at the beach house before going back to school. But when Hermione got transferred to Hogwarts, they stopped going. Christine her parents still went though because Christine had always loved the place. When she grew up she told herself that she would move into a place just like this. Some of her best memories came from that place.

Just then Harry came out of another door. He was wearing red pajama bottoms with a gray sweatshirt on top. The three looked at each other for a moment before anyone said a word. But before someone could speak the healer that was with them earlier saw the three standing there and he ushered them in through another door that turned out to be an office.

"Take a seat if you will." The three sat down silently. "Well I am sure you realize where you are by now." Christine shook her head but Hermione spoke up quietly.

"The Recovery Room for memory damage."

"Yes. You each woke up in a place that you find your happiest memory at. For Christine it was the beach house on the coast of Maine if I am correct." She nodded. "And for Harry it was the his friend Ronald Wealsey's house." Harry nodded his head. "And for Hermione it was Ronald's house as well." Hermione nodded her head. "Well then let us proceed." He stood up and walked over to the window.

"We have found out that two of you have experience memory damage. Mister Potter has had part of his memory erased. He remembers nothing up to about two years ago. Someone wanted his past wiped away. And funnily Christine's memory has also been tampered with. It seems that a false memory was placed inside hear head exactly two years ago."

Christine looked at the healer confused but then understanding. She now knew why she had two almost identical memories lingering inside her head. But which one was the real truth and which one was false? Was Severus lying to her or was Hermione? She looked forward to finding out which memory was true.

"Unfortunately we cannot decipher between the truth and the lie."

"What?

"Yes we have two identical memories, well almost identical. There is one drastic difference between them but I cannot tell which one is the real memory." Christine looked so confused and angry. She looked at the healer intensely as she waited for him to reveal the two memories to the others in the room. But he said nothing. The longer they sat in the silence the harder Christine's heart started to pound.

"What I can tell is that the two memories are so similar it is hard to tell truth from lie but they are so different that believing in one over the other can drastically alter Christine's personality. It seems that she is under the impression that you killed her parents." He said to Hermione. She looked as if she was about to pass out from the shock. Christine looked at her cousin with a hidden anger in her eyes.

"You believed that I…" She could not finish her sentence. Christine said nothing as the ever increasing anger harbored in her heart and mind. Hermione was shocked and angry as well. Her mind was spinning furiously as she tried to put all the pieces together. The cousins looked into each other's eyes but found no answers in each other. But healer felt it time to interject.

"There is another memory." He said slowly. "One of which someone else killed her parents, Severus Snape." Hermione gasped. "But I cannot tell which one is reality but I can tell you which one Christine has believed for two years. And that would be," He took a deep breath. "The first one." Hermione looked sick and so did Harry. "I'll leave you three to talk." The healer walked out of his office and the three sat in what seemed like a never-ending silence.

"I didn't do it Christine, you have to believe me." Hermione said finally, her eyes becoming misty.

"Why should I? There is no evidence going either way." Christine said her anger rising to the surface.

"Well whoever damaged your memory obviously wanted you to see the false memory and so ensured that would be the one you would recall. Can't you see that?"

"Unless the person doing the spell damage made a mistake and could not cover the true memory as well as they wanted to." Her voice grew louder as she looked at Hermione.

"Why would I want to kill my own aunt and uncle?" Hermione's voice was soon matching the tone of Christine's. Harry looked as if he would rather be anywhere else that in this very room. No one spoke but Christine could feel the blood boiling throughout her body. Her heart was beating fast and her head was pounding as well. But she still glared fiercely at Hermione.

"I never question your ways. If you will excuse me." Christine said harshly as she left the room. She was still in her pajamas. But now that she was out of the room she had no idea where to go next. She checked her watch to see that it was 12:00 in the morning. She knew that she could not go back to Hermione's apartment because he would be looking for her there. She walked down the halls quickly and found herself once again in the lobby of St. Mungo's. She asked the person at the front desk how to get out and looked around to see that Hermione had not followed her.

She then found herself on the dark streets of London. It was cold and the street lamps were all out. Rain started to pour down softly upon Christine's head. All the stars and the moon were hidden by the dark storm clouds. This only added to the darkness that Christine felt deep inside her soul.

She looked up and down, trying to decide which way to go. She felt that someone was ever watching her. Her heart beating quickly and sweat was coming down her forehead. She then started running up the street hoping to run away from everything. From the deal she made with Snape, from the memories that were buried in her mind, and from the horrors she knew would occur.

"They wanted this to happen. Both of them." She whispered to herself. Her breath came out as misty air. "They both lied to me. They don't care about anyone but themselves. Both memories must be a lie. They have destroyed my parents, they have destroyed my memories, and now they want to destroy me." She said as anger grew inside of her. "And so now they must pay." She said breathing heavily. "THEY MUST PAY!" And she continued to run as the rain poured down on her. The sweat, the rain, and her tears were all mixed upon her face.


End file.
